The Geometry of Hand-Sewing: Virtual Workshop with Natalie Chanin

Date:  Wednesday May 28, 2025 

Time: Noon-2:00 p.m. Eastern time

Location: Zoom—this is a virtual event, and it will be recorded for participants to watch and re-watch.

This class includes a beautiful materials kit from The School of Making, plus Natalie’s classic book, The Geometry of Hand-Sewing.

Please note that your kit and book will be shipping early May. 

Kay and Ann have had the good fortune to sit and and sew with Natalie Chanin, and it has changed our lives—and our wardrobes—in deep, lasting ways. It’s a gift to be able to make such distinctive, exquisite pieces for ourselves, and to know that by doing so, we’re supporting the slow fashion movement.

The skirts, tops, dresses, and jackets we’ve made from Natalie’s kits are the definition of sustainable fashion. As the saying goes, “loved clothes last.” 

In this class, you’ll be working with the materials Natalie has developed for both Alabama Chanin and The School of Making, and you’ll come away with foundational skills in hand-sewing and embroidery that are the keys to the kingdom of a handmade wardrobe that is a lasting joy, in the making and in the wearing.

Not for nothing, but our favorite outfit is a handknit sweater worn with a hand-stitched swing skirt from The School of Making.

What We’ll Learn

In this two-hour virtual workshop on Zoom, Natalie will teach her most-used embroidery stitches from her book The Geometry of Hand Sewing. Topics Natalie will cover:

• Physics of sewing
• Reverse applique
• Selected embroidery stitches featured in The Geometry of Hand Sewing
• How to use The Geometry of Hand Sewing grids and tools

When Natalie demonstrates techniques, there will be an overhead camera focused on her hands and work surface so that you can follow along. Participant mics will be muted, but the chat box will be monitored for questions from participants.

What’s in the Box

Your kit from The School of Making includes these beautiful essentials for the workshop:

• 10″ x 16″ Variegated Stripe Painted Swatch
• 10″ x 16″ Basic Swatch
• 1 Spool of Cream Button Craft Thread
• 1 Spool of Dogwood Embroidery Floss
• 1 each Sewing and Embroidery Needle
• 1 FriXion Pen (heat-erasable pen for use with dot grids)

There’s more! You will also receive a copy of Natalie’s book The Geometry of Hand-Sewing, which includes Natalie’s revolutionary stitching card grids.

The only thing you need to bring is a pair of scissors.

Our Workshop Leader

Natalie Chanin is the founder and creative director of Alabama Chanin. External Link. Opens in new window., a clothing company based in her home town of Florence, Alabama, along with its related companies, The School of Making and Project Threadways. In a move that astonished the fashion design world, Natalie open-sourced the company’s handmade couture in a series of landmark books: Alabama Stitch Book. External Link. Opens in new window., Alabama Studio Style. External Link. Opens in new window., Alabama Studio Sewing + Design. External Link. Opens in new window., and Alabama Studio Sewing Patterns.. External Link. Opens in new window. When paired with The School of Making’s DIY kits, these books enable home stitchers to create a stunning, sturdy, and sustainable wardrobe—every stitch by hand.

At the company’s Factory in Florence, Alabama, and around the world, Natalie leads workshops where she teaches techniques, tells stories, and makes people fall in love with hand sewing. Natalie’s latest beautiful book is Embroidery: Threads and Stories.

To hear Natalie’s story in her own words, we recommend this beautiful video portrait by Gael Towey.. External Link. Opens in new window..

Your Questions Answered

Is this class suitable for beginning stitchers? Yes! This workshop is a virtual presentation of what Natalie teaches beginners at her in-person workshops.

How is this workshop different from the introductory class Natalie taught for MDK last year? While we’ll review some first principles at the start, this class will have a stronger focus on embroidery stitches, including the use of Natalie’s stitching grid cards. We’ll be working with Natalie’s preferred materials and in her specific style. Although Ann and Kay are not beginners at this point, they’ve taken multiple classes with Natalie, learning new things from each session.

How do I get the Zoom link?  Your order confirmation email will include a link to a PDF with the Zoom meeting link. We’ll also send reminder emails.

How should I get ready for the workshop? Gather the things you’ll need: your kit, book, and scissors. Your knitting scissors or embroidery scissors, of any size, are fine. 

What’s the format? With Natalie’s instruction and an overhead camera focused on her hands, we’ll learn favorite embroidery stitches that are taught at The School of Making and used by Alabama Chanin’s artisan stitchers. Participant mics will be muted for instructional time, but the chat box will be monitored for questions from participants. If time permits, the end of the class will be open for discussion time with Natalie.

I can’t make it to the live Zoom class. May I still participate? Yes! Everyone enrolled in the workshop will receive a link to the recording for the workshop and all resources we share. The recording will be emailed after the class concludes and will be available to you indefinitely.